Auxiliary device for automatic electric control systems.



I. V. GERAGHTY, DECD.

F 1. M. GERAGHTY, ADMINISTRATRIX.

AUXILIARY DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEMS APPLICATION FILED JAN-5.1916.

Patented June 19, 1917.

imam/2 for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. g

. umns v. 'enaaenry, on NEW .YORK, N. Y.; JULIA m. GERAGH-TY anmmrsrna'rmx I or SAID JAMES v. GERAGHTY, DECEASED.

v systems are a citizen of the when such AUXILIARY DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CONTROL SYSTEMS.

Specification of Letters IEatent.

PatentedJune 19, 1917.

Application filed January 5, 1916. Serial No. 70,846.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMESV. GERAGHTY, United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Devices for Control Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to automatic motor control systems, particularly for cars on an electrically operated railway, operated by compressed alr; and the main object of my invention, among other things, is the provision of novel means for operating the magnet valves, at the will of the motor-man, which valves cause the main controlcylinder drum to advance or rotate automatically,

control cylinder fails to so advance for any reason during the ordinary operation of the car.

In ordinary surface electric railway practice," where pneumaticallyoperated control employed, frequent diificulties are experienced in operating the motor through the inability of the motor-man to cause; also when the magnets for the valves neath the floor of the car,

actuate the valves or magnets which control the rotation of the main controller shaft and drum. Such difiiculties may arise when the car is on a grade greater than that for which the control is adjusted for normal operation; again when the car is pushing one or more cars, or when one of the motors on the car-becomes disabled, or inefiicient for any leak or become sluggish, or when the main control cylinder sticks because of too muchtension of the fingers, bearin or from any other mechanical defeet. urtherrnore such difi'iculties may occur when the main control cylinder is prevented from advancing on account of a deor from defective fective limit switch. Such magnet valves of an automatic motor control system may be operated by pressing down the ends rojecting above the magnets, but in order to accomplish this movement, it is usually necessary to remove the hood since the main controller is almost invariabl located be-' or in some other in the city,

Automatic Electric tively. Slide valves admitting inaccessible place, this movement of the pro-- jecting valveends cannot be accomplished when, for any reason, the car becomes stalled on the highway or street.

The characteristic feature of my improved device is, therefore, the provision of a simple and-efficient mechanism whereby the magnet valves may be positively actuated at all times and under all conditions, at the will of the operator; my auxiliary device renders the advance or rotation of the main control cylinder entirely under the will of the motorman, and is particularly useful in varied emergencies that so continuously arise in the operation of an electrically operated railway system.

In the accompanying drawings, I have two forms or embodiments of my invention, 70 as applied to a main controller known as the Westinghouse PK control]? in which Figure 1' shows a side elevation View, partly in cross-section, of my improved device electro-' magnetically constructed and operated, together with 'a diagrammatic view of a convenient form of appropriate wiring.

Fig. 2 shows a similar side elevation view, a partly in cross-section, of my device, in which I employ compressed air to actuate the moving parts of the apparatus.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the two figures.

Referring .to Fig. 1, 3 indicates any suitable frame or base arranged on the car to which is attached the Westinghouse type of K controller. In order to present a full understanding of the form of apparatus used, thisPK controller'comprises a main control shaft 4 upon which. is mounted the main controller drum (not shown), the operation of which is controlled by the usual master controller, line switch and current limitin switch. The mechanism which 0 erates t e main controller drum, as shown 1n 1, consists of a pair of cylinders 5 and 6,

whose common ,pistonrod (not shown) carlies a rack 7, which engages with a' pinion 8 mounted on the shaft 4. mpressedair is used to operate the cylinders 5 and 6 furnished from a suitable source of supply through the inlet pipes 9 and 10 respecthe compressed air to and from the cylinders 5 and-6 are controlled by the magnetsll and 12 respectively. I have shown the form of these. slide valves on the left side of 1, such valve 13, through lts vertical rec procating -movement in the valve chamber- 14:, by the energizing and deenergizing of the magnet 11, admits compressed air to the cylinder pressed against through the port 15 when the valve 13 is dethe coil spring 16 by such energizing of the magnet 11. 17 indicates the exhaust port for the chamber 1 1, when the valve 13 is moved upwardly by the both of these magnets 11 and 12 are siward the ri multaneously energized, the main controller is rotated in a clockwise direction through the movement of the rack 7 toht, and when both magnets 11 and 12 are eenergized, the drum is moved in a counter-clockwise direction by the reverse movement of the rack 7 toward the left. if, during the clockwise movement of the drum, the 05 valve magnet 12 alone be deenergized, the rotation of the main controller drum will immediately stop.

I valve magnet 12, and each in order that this main controller drum will properly stop at the notches, an auxiliary control or interlocking drum 18 is provided, which drum has points corresponding to those of the main drum, as shown in llig. 1,

I and is keyed to the extension shalt 19 of the main control shaft l. This drum 18 is adapted to break the control circuit of: the oil notch is controlled by a separate control wire energized from the master controller (not shown).

My auxiliary device proper, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a pair of solenoids 20 and 21, secured to the upper ends 22 and 23 of the cups for the valve magnets 11 and 12 respectively. As both solenoids 20 and 21 are similarly constructed and operated, a description of the solenoid 20, mounted in the cap 2 1 secured to the the magnet 11, as shown in cross-section, will suifice, The ccre'25 is normally held in position shown in Fig. 1 by the coil spring 23, slightly above the armature 27 which is connected to, or rests upon, the upper end 23 of the slide valve 13. 29 and 30 are spring controlled contact buttons which are referably located at either end of the car within a convenient reach or the motor-man, whereby 13 are not actuated.

end 22 or the cup for nesoaec the solenoids 20 and 21 may be energized at will through appropriate wiring shown in Fig. 1 from any suitable source of electromotive force as the main circuit 31 through the resistance 32. It is obvious from the diagram of the wiring that the operator by making connection through either of the contact buttons 29 and 30 may directly operate the slide valves 13 to advance the main controller drum through the sliding rack 7 being moved in either direction by the action of compressed air in the cylinders 5 and 6, when, for any of the reasons 1 have hereinbefore mentioned, the valve magnets 11 and 12,fail to respond and the slide valves Referring to Fig. 2, l have here shown a pneumatically operated auxiliary device to accomplish valves13 operable at the will-of the motorman. 33 and 34: indicate a pair of cylinders mounted on the upper ends of the cups for the magnets 11 and 12 respectively. The cylinders 33 and 34 are similarly constructed and I will describe only the cylinder 33, shown in vertical cross-section secured to the cup-end 22. 35 ton rod, the lower end of which is normally held slightly above the armature 27 of the magnet 11, as shown in the figure, by the spring 36 coiled about the piston rod 35, and engaging the lower head oi the cylinder 33 and the piston 37, which piston normally closes the exhaust port 38 as shown. 39

and d0 indicate hand valves, preferably arranged at either end of the car, and control, by means of he piping shown,'the admission of compressed air from the air-tank ll to the cylinders 33 and 34 to move downwardly the piston rods 35, whereby the slide valves 13 are directly actuated to rotate the main controller drum as has been hereinbeffore described, all of which will be readily understood hy those skilled in this art.

My improved auxiliary device, as heretois the reciprocating pisits fore shown and describedgenables not only the slide valves of an automatic motor control system to be directly operated at the will of t e motorman, but also the on and ofi cylinders of a pneumatic control system maybe brought'into instant operation when emer encies arise, or the magnets fail to operate ior any reason.

1 claim as my invention:

1. An auxiliary device'tor motor control systems, which comprises, in combination with the valve magnets for controlling the operation or said system, manually con trolled means mounted on said magnets, and operable by said motor control system, for actuating said valves at 2. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises, in combination with too valve magnets for controlling the operation at said system, manually ccn= 1 trolled means mounted on said magnets, and

operable by said motor control system, for directly actuating said valves at will.

3. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises, in combination" with the valve magnets for controlling the operation of said system, manually controlled means mounted on said magnets, and operable by said motor control system to reciprocate said valves at will. a

4. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises, in combination with the valvemagnets for operation of said system, manually controlled means mounted on said magnets, and

operable by said motor control system, to. directly reciprocate said valves at will.

5. An auxillary device for motor control systems, which comprises, in combination with the valve magnets for controlling the operation of said system, valve stems pro-. jecting beyond the cores of said magnets, and means, controlled by the operator, and operable by said motor control system, to move said projecting ends'inwardly at will.

6. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises in combination with the valve magnets for controlling the operation of said system, electromagnetic devices connected with the main circuit to actuate said valves at will.

7. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises in combination controlling the with the valve magnets for controlling the operation of said system, electromagnetic devices connected with the main circuit to directly actuate said valves at will.

8. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises in combination with the valve magnets for controlling the operation of said system, valve stems projecting beyond the cores of said magnets, and electromagnetic devices connected with the main circuit and controlled by the operator, to move sai projecting stems inwardly at will. i i

9. An auxiliary device for-motor control systems, which comprises in combination with the operation of said system, asolenoid mounted on each of said valve magnets and connected with the main circuit to actuate said valves at will. I

10. An auxiliary device for motor control systems, which comprises, in combination with the valve magnets for operation of said system, jecting beyond the cores and a solenoid mounted valve stems pro of said magnets, on each of said valve magnets and controlled by the oper-' ator, to move said projecting stems inwardly at will. I

' JAMES V. GERAGHTY. Witnesses:

PHILIP C.'PEOK, WILLIAM J. HOPKINS.

valve magnets for controlling the controlling the 

